Fever: The Best of Little Willie John

Amazon.com
Standing slightly more than five feet tall, Little Willie John scored his first hit at age 17. That 1955 R&B smash--"All Around the World" (also known as "Grits Ain't Groceries")--reflected his status as a seasoned veteran of several leading jazz/R&B big bands. John went on to record such noble rockers as "I'm Shakin'" (covered by the Blasters) and "Leave My Kitten Alone" (covered by the Beatles). However, his greatest success came when he set his torchy, gospel-drenched tenor to slow blues ("Need Your Love So Bad"), standards ("Sleep"), heartbreak ballads ("Talk to Me" and "Let Them All Talk"), and his flame-broiled original version of the oft-covered (Peggy Lee, Madonna, the Cramps, among others) incendiary title track. John was only 30 when he died--reportedly of either pneumonia or a heart attack--while imprisoned for manslaughter in 1968. That same year, James Brown recorded an album called Thinking of Little Willie John and a Few Nice Things. One listen to this 20-song Little Willie John compilation will tell you why. --Don Waller

Fever: The Best of Little Willie John,Little Willie John,Rhino / Wea,Pop,Popular Music,R&B,Soul,Soul/R & B,Urban Blues

Average customer rating:

Some Of The Best Aren't Here
An underrated and very important artist,
One of the most overlooked and underrated figures in the early history of rock and roll.
SOUL MUSIC BEFORE THERE EVER WAS SUCH A THING
A fine collection, by this great jump blues singer

Fever: The Best of Little Willie John
Little Willie John
Manufacturer: Rhino / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Blues | Styles | Music

Classic R&B | R&B | Styles | Music

General | R&B | Styles | Music

General | Soul | R&B | Styles | Music

Rhino Records | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music
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ASIN: B000003357
Release Date: 1993-11-16

Tracks:

All Around The World
Need Your Love So Bad
Home At Last
Fever
My Nerves
Suffering With The Blues
Person To Person
Talk To Me, Talk To Me
Spasms
Let's Rock While The Rockin's Good
Leave My Kitten Alone
Let Them Talk
I'm Shakin'
Heartbreak (It's Hurtin' Me)
Sleep
You Hurt Me
I Like To See My Baby
Take My Love (I Want To Give It All To You)
Big Blue Diamonds
My Baby's In Love With Another Guy

Amazon.com

Standing slightly more than five feet tall, Little Willie John scored his first hit at age 17. That 1955 R&B smash--"All Around the World" (also known as "Grits Ain't Groceries")--reflected his status as a seasoned veteran of several leading jazz/R&B big bands. John went on to record such noble rockers as "I'm Shakin'" (covered by the Blasters) and "Leave My Kitten Alone" (covered by the Beatles). However, his greatest success came when he set his torchy, gospel-drenched tenor to slow blues ("Need Your Love So Bad"), standards ("Sleep"), heartbreak ballads ("Talk to Me" and "Let Them All Talk"), and his flame-broiled original version of the oft-covered (Peggy Lee, Madonna, the Cramps, among others) incendiary title track. John was only 30 when he died--reportedly of either pneumonia or a heart attack--while imprisoned for manslaughter in 1968. That same year, James Brown recorded an album called Thinking of Little Willie John and a Few Nice Things. One listen to this 20-song Little Willie John compilation will tell you why. --Don Waller

Customer Reviews:

Some Of The Best Aren't Here.......2007-07-29

When you look at the contents of the CD you have to wonder if the title means "Fever" is the best of Little Willie John and, with that, they're giving you only SOME of his other hits OR, if purporting to offer all his best, the producer fell asleep at the switch. The same holds true for another CD listed: Little Willie John: All 15 Chart Hits 1953-1962.

First of all John (born in Cullendale, Arkansas on November 15, 1937 and raised in Detroit) was just 16 in 1953, and although touring with Paul Williams & His Orchestra and cutting some discs for Savoy, Rama, and Prize, he had no hits of any description until 1955. Secondly, from 1955 to 1961 he actually had eighteen charters.

After signing with King in 1955, that fall he scored with the # 5 R&B hit, All Around The World. Not bad for an 18-year-old, and when he did it again early in 1956 with the double-side hit Need Your Love So Bad (# 5 R&B) b/w Home At Last (# 6 R&B), King knew they had something special (the B-side is missing from the other CD mentioned).

His biggest hit ever, Fever, followed in a few months, going to # 1 R&B (where it stayed for five weeks) and # 24 Billboard Top 100 in August. The thing is, the flipside, Letter From My Darling, also went to # 10 R&B and is not included in either this compilation OR the other one. Nor is the next one in 1956, Do Something For Me, which hit # 15 R&B, and yet the flipside, My Nerves, which did not chart, is included in this set.

There were no charters in 1957, but in May 1958 he was back with Talk To Me, Talk To Me which, b/w Spasms, topped out at # 5 R&B and # 20 Top 100. Later that summer You're A Sweetheart reached # 14 R&B and # 66 Top 100 in August, and while it's on the other CD, it is omitted from this one. But the uncharted flip, Let's Rock While The Rockin's Good IS here. Go figure.

Another release in the same period, Tell It Like It Is b/w Don't Be Ashamed To Call My Name went to # 12 R&B - but neither is included on either CD. Both his following hits are here and on the other CD, however, with Leave My Kitten Alone scoring at # 13 R&B and # 60 Hot 100 in August 1959, and Let Them Talk reaching # 11 R&B and # 100 Hot 100 in February 1960. Neither flip-side, Let Nobody Love You (# 106 Hot 100 "bubble under") and Right There are included.

Later in 1960 Heartbreak (It's Hurtin' Me) also gained # 11 R&B and while it's on both CDs, the flip, Right There, is on neither. Then came the old standard Sleep (again on both sets) which reached # 10 R&B and proved to be his best Pop hit, going to # 13 Hot 100 in November. The B-side, There's A Difference, is missing, as is his next hit, Walk Slow b/w You Hurt Me, which went to # 21 R&B and # 48 Hot 100 in January 1961 (the A-side IS on the other CD).

The old Duke Ellington hit, Flamingo, then followed for John in 1961, going to # 17 R&B - but it's missing from both compilations, although the B-side, (I've Got) Spring Fever, a # 25 R&B and 71 Hot 100 in June, is on the other compilation. His last hit, Take My Love (I Want To Give It All To You), is on both sets, and it went to # 5 R&B in the fall of 1961, but the flip-side, Now You Know, is missing from both even though it scored at # 93 Hot 100 that August.

Inducted into the R&R Hall of Fame in 1996, John wasn't around to appreciate the honour, having died in Washington State Prison from a heart attack on May 26, 1968. His sister Mabel John had a single hit with Your Good Thing (Is About To End) in 1966 (# 6 R&B/# 95 Hot 100), and was also a member of Ray Charles' Raeletts.

It seems that, if you really want ALL the best of Little Willie John you will have to purchase both CDs, and then search around for Letter From My Darling, Do Something For Me, Tell it Like It Is, and Flamingo. Good hunting.

An underrated and very important artist,.......2007-06-08

Arguably the first "soul" singer as opposed to straight 1950's r'n'b or rock'n'roll. After his career ended, he was quite neglected in music history. I'm glad to see so many reissues of his work. This is an excellent CD since it has most of his important songs on it and also some lesser known ones. It's also a good introduction to his music if you don't want to invest in more obscure songs of his. (Those songs are excellent,too). What Peggy Lee did with his original version of "Fever" was no different basically than what Elvis or Bill Haley or Pat Boone or so many other white artists did at that time with the original and almost always superior versions of rythm'n'blues songs. They usually had much bigger hits and very often, the original artist (often the composer) didn't get any royalties. I'm not sure if that was the case with "Fever" when it came to royalties, but even now I don't think that many people know that it was a Little Willie John song. And man could this guy sing! From a rocker like "I'm Shakin'", or a soulful ballad like "Talk to Me,Talk to Me", or simply great tunes like "Spasms" or "Leave My Kitten Alone", this guy was GREAT!
Anyway, I highly recommend this CD. Little Willie John, a true unsung hero for too long.

One of the most overlooked and underrated figures in the early history of rock and roll........2006-12-02

If you are under the age of 50 you most likely have never heard of him. Although he managed to hit the Billboard Hot 100 Singles chart a total of 14 times between 1956 and 1961, none of his records ever peaked any higher than #13! So just what was so special about Little Willie John and why did the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame see fit to make this man one of their earliest inductees? The answer to this question will become abundantly clear to you when you sample Rhino's phenomenal 1993 release "Fever: The Best of Little Willie John". Incredibly, the legendary James Brown used to be the opening act for him in the mid 1950's. Like his contemporaries Clyde McPhatter and Sam Cooke, Little Willie John was a former gospel singer who played a vital role in the emergence of the genre that would one day be dubbed "soul" music. I have owned "Fever: The Best of Little Willie John for more than a decade now and it is a disc I have come to treasure.
There are 20 tracks on "Fever: The Best of Little Willie John" and I can attest that there is not a weak cut among them. You will quickly discover that Little Willie John was no one trick pony. No sir. He could rock and roll with the best of them, belt out a blues number and soothe you with a soft ballad. Chances are, if you have ever heard a Little Willie John tune it would be his 1956 recording of "Fever". That song would have been a monster hit but Peggy Lee covered it and her version became the bigger hit. Life can be very unfair! You will also enjoy Willie's pleasing take on the 1920's hit "Sleep" as well as "Talk To Me, Talk To Me" from 1958. Rock and roll with great sounds like "Let's Rock While The Rockin's Good" and "I'm Shakin'" to name but a couple. Perhaps my very favorite Little Willie John tune is "Let Them Talk." Here is one of the most powerful vocal performances you are ever likely to hear. After all these years it still sends chills up my spine each time I hear it!
"Fever: The Best of Little Willie John" comes with a neat little 8 page booklet that tells the life story of this talented but troubled individual. Unfortunately, Little Willie John was convicted of manslaughter in 1966 and died in prison under very mysterious circumstances. This collection is a lasting tribute to one of the pioneers of rock and roll. Very highly recommended!

SOUL MUSIC BEFORE THERE EVER WAS SUCH A THING.......2006-06-04

Any serious investigation into the roots of soul music, will lead you directly to three people: Ray Charles, Sam Cooke, and Little Wille John, who was short, young, and troubled: a guy who ultimately ended up murdered when he was in prison. But boy, could he belt out a tune. If you don't believe me, listen to the songs "I Need Your Love So Bad", "Sufferin' With The Blues", and the most heart-wrenching song I have EVER heard, "YOU HURT ME".

A fine collection, by this great jump blues singer.......2004-06-22

Although my alltime favorite Little Willie John tune "I'm Sticking With You Baby"(an incredible jump blues) is missing, this is still a fine collection, that should be bought in tandem with the Collectibles cd(which has more songs, but many different ones). This cd has plenty of rollicking tunes, and although I'm really not a fan of John's balladry, he sounds best when singing uptempo jump blues or r&b tunes like Fever where he can use his rich vocals and attitute to thier fullest.

Some of the ballads that border on doo-wop are throwaways, but most of his hits were the jump blues tunes, and his voice sounds a little different with each performance, making him a unique performer who's voice on a good day could sound so smooth, slick and hip, and on other days weak and wimpy. This collection finds him in generally prime form, so pick this cd up along with the Collectables disc.

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